New fitness trend - silent walking
by Katie Liddiard, Nutrition and Physical Activity Project Officer
- December 7, 2023
- Leave a comment
There’s no denying the benefits that walking has for us, ranging from building stronger bones to improved balance and blood pressure, and overall mood-boosting.
The new TikTok trend of “silent walking” has some people scratching their heads and wondering what we’ve been doing all these years! “Silent walking” here refers not to quietly tip-toeing around, but to walking without listening to anything except the sounds of our surroundings, giving us time to free up space in our mind and be more present with ourselves. While it may seem obvious that walking without distractions makes us more present and increases clarity, the fact that this is a revelation for many TikTok users makes us reflect on how normal it has become for us to distract ourselves from our own thoughts.
 |
The little device in our pockets can help us stay connected, plan our social life, and stay up to date with what is going on, but equally is wreaking havoc on our brains and depriving us of being present in the moment and could be contributing to fluctuations in mood and low feelings. Let’s unpack a few things about the benefits of switching off and getting away from our phones. |
Find some relaxation and destress from the day
Finding a few moments in the day to be with our thoughts can help us feel more relaxed and give us the space we need to think and destress from the day. We can find this by silent walking, meditation or simply sitting in silence in the car for a few extra minutes before going into work or the house.
Get creative juices flowing
Being silent and being able to collect our thoughts allows us to explore our ideas further, solve problems, and think more creatively, all of which can ignite the spark we’ve been looking for. Whether it’s starting a business, getting back into a hobby, or just coming up with fun activities for friends and family to do, we can find a lot of benefit (and fun) from being more creative.
 |
 |
 |
Be more mindful
When we are silent, our bodies are invited to be in the present moment. It allows us to begin to be more in tune with our senses. We start to hear the world around us and notice how the sun feels on our faces or the gentle breeze in the air. This awareness not only makes us feel more connected to the world around us but also makes us feel more connected to ourselves and can enhance our cognitive function. Check out our other blog - Sit ups for the mind for more ways to bring mindfulness into your daily life.
Silent walking could reduce distractions and improve our mood and ability to think more clearly. Whether we can spare 15 minutes or an hour, by getting outside and away from our screens we can unlock greater focus and mental clarity.
Happy walking!
